


Labyrinth III: The End of an Era

by marysiak



Series: The Amethyst Saga [2]
Category: Labyrinth (1986), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1995-05-10
Updated: 1995-05-10
Packaged: 2018-08-14 05:52:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8000929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marysiak/pseuds/marysiak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amethyst unexpectedly develops mutant powers while pregnant and has to go to the X-Men for help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Apologies to Marvel and Henson Productions who own many of the characters   
herein. It should however be noted that the following characters belong   
to me: Amethyst, Ander, Anya, Dr Erlan and Westerly.   
   
     **The Amethyst Saga part 2**  
 **Labyrinth III: The End of an Era**  
 **by Lady Amethyst  Spring 1995**   
   
       ----------------------------------------------   
Notes: It has been nine years since Amethyst entered the Labyrinth (see   
Labyrinth II: The Origins of Amethyst). She has lived happily with    
Jareth as his queen during that time. Three months ago she realised    
she was pregnant with the heir to the kingdom.It should be noted that    
there is no Labyrinth I fan-fic but that Labyrinth I is the original   
film starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connely.   
        ----------------------------------------------   
   
   Amethyst was sitting in the royal gardens among the birch trees.   
Her maids were sitting as far away as possible as she was in a foul   
mood. Jareth was away on 'business' and she had a splitting headache   
and her ankles itched. She ignored it for a while but eventually    
threw her book down in annoyance and hiked up her full skirt. Pulling   
off her slippers and stockings she was startled to find a bright red    
rash and swelling on the outside of each ankle. She touched one care-   
fully.   
   
   "Ow!"   
   
   Her personal maid ran over, "Are you all right My Lady?"   
   
   "Yes, yes Anya I am fine. It is just my ankles." She showed Anya   
the swelling. "I expect it is nothing."   
   
   "We cannot be so complacent Lady Amethyst," Anya scolded. "Come   
and we will see the palace doctor."   
   
   "I thought I was supposed to be in charge of you Anya," Amethyst   
laughed, following obediently.      
    
   Amethyst relaxed in the huge marble bath in the royal apartments.   
The scented hot water soothed her headache a bit and the cream the   
doctor had given her was helping her itching ankles a little. She ran    
her hand gently around her slightly swollen belly, humming to herself.   
She closed her eyes and sank a little lower in the water. She missed   
Jareth, he'd been gone over a week and just when her pregnancy was    
starting to make her feel rather fragile. Mind you at first she'd been   
glad to get rid of him. Ever since she had confirmed her pregnancy   
he'd been like a headless chicken everytime she threw up (which had been   
happening rather often unfortunately) or got a headache. But now, in   
retrospect, his worrying seemed rather sweet and she was almost tempted    
to send for him to come back. But no, surely he couldn't be that much   
longer now. Sighing Amethyst ducked her hair under the water and began   
washing it. Once she was done she rang the bell for Anya.    
   
   "Is there any word as to when my Lord will return?" asked Amethyst as    
Anya dried and combed her hair. Anya often heard news through the grape-   
vine before it reached Amethyst.   
   
   "The dwarfs are stubborn My Lady, they hold out for a better price   
still. But the King will not budge."   
   
   "They are both as stubborn as the day is long, at this rate my husband   
will become a father while still in those wretched mines."   
   
   "Never mind My Lady. I'm sure the King will bring some pretty trinkets   
for you to make up for his absence."   
   
   "Of jewels I have more than enough already, but he means well. Hurry   
with my hair Anya I am very tired and wish only to go to sleep and wake   
without this dreadful headache."   
   
   "I am nearly done My Lady."     
   
   Soon she was finished and the two made ready for bed. Anya slept in   
the bed with Amethyst to prevent the rumourmongers from talking about   
what the Queen might get up to with her King away. Ander had also taken   
to sleeping across the outside of the door to her room, he seemed to feel   
it was his duty. Tonight it comforted Amethyst to have two such trusted    
companions nearby.   
    
   Amethyst dreamed.   
   
   Confusing dreams. More sensations than actual events. Nauseating   
flashes of light and falling and spinning. She tossed and turned. It   
was worse than being awake.   
   
   But then she did wake, to find herself several feet off the bed.    
With a scream she fell heavily on to the bed waking Anya who screamed   
for Ander thinking we were being attacked. Amethyst lurched off the bed   
and ran for the bathroom to throw up through her tears. She felt so weak   
and ill and frightened. Anya followed her as Ander ran in.   
   
   "I want Jareth!" Amethyst cried, "Send a message to call him back."   
   
   "Your will My Lady." Ander ran to obey.   
   
   Anya knelt down beside Amethyst, "Are you all right My Lady?"   
   
   Amethyst put her head between her knees, "I want my husband."   
   
    It didn't take long to call Jareth back. A few hours for the pigeon    
to fly out with the message and then Jareth transported himself to the    
castle instantaneously.   
   
   Amethyst was still in bed but she had been crying most of the night.   
If she had been her normal self she would have taken this a lot better   
but for over a week she'd been feeling ill and lonely and this was just   
the last straw. She never had been good at being sick. When Jareth   
appeared in the doorway she threw herself into his arms sobbing. Anya   
withdrew tactfully and closed the door.    
   
   "Amethyst love, what has happened?" he asked steering her to the bed.   
   
   "I don't know. My head hurts all the time and I woke up flying above    
the bed and look at my ankles." She pulled her ankle up to show him, from    
the centre of the swelling sprouted a small tuft of white feathers. Jareth   
reached out to touch them and she pulled her leg back. "Don't! It hurts."   
   
   "It's okay, I just want to look."   
   
   Amethyst re-extended her leg to him and he leaned over it.   
   
   "What's wrong with me?"   
   
   "Have you heard of mutants?"   
   
   "You mean like back on Earth? Like Captain Britain?"   
   
   "Yes. I remember when my brother first manifested his powers, it   
started with headaches too."   
   
   "Your brother's a mutant! I thought he was just magic, like you are."   
   
   "No my brother and I are both human. My brother was a mutant but I was   
just normal, then when the last Goblin King was dying and without an heir   
he chose me to take his powers and his place. That was two hundred and   
fifty years ago."   
   
   "So will I get better?"   
   
   "I certainly hope so. I'm going to call my brother to come and talk   
to you, he knows more about this than I do. But I'm sure everything will   
be fine," he smiled and layed his hand on her stomach. "For both of you."   
    
   
   It was a few days before Jareth managed to get in touch with his    
brother but Amethyst didn't mind. She felt much better now that Jareth   
had returned and she had an idea what was happening. Plus the head-   
aces seemed to be getting better. She climbed out of bed, Jareth   
almost always got up before her, royal duties or something. She looked   
into the mirror about to comb out her hair and gasped. Her eyes! Where   
before they had been a grey-blue they were now a vibrant purple.   
   
   "I could get to like this," she murmured. "Though I could live without   
the little wings on my ankles, they tickle."   
   
   She combed out her hair and pleated it back out of her face with    
practiced fingers. Waist length hair was all very well but it could be   
a pain in the butt at times. She went to dig through her wardrobe for   
a dress she could put on herself. Anya was away for a week visiting her   
parents in the mountains and Amethyst hadn't felt like having someone   
she didn't know very well around all the time. She settled on a pale   
green silk dress she'd brought with her when she left Scotland. It was   
a warm day so she wouldn't need anything heavier and it had no tricky   
fastenings to worry about. She slipped it on along with the green slippers   
that matched it and left for the garden.    
   
   As she walked down the cool stone corridors of the castle she got the   
feeling everyone was staring at her. She started to watch the people she   
passed, they were staring at her. She looked down at herself to see what    
was wrong, nothing. Maybe it was the eyes, she hadn't realised they would   
be so noticable. She passed out into the gardens and saw Ander and Jareth   
talking under the old beech tree. She went over to them.   
   
   "Jareth look at my eyes. Do you like them?"   
   
   "They're lovely my dear but if you don't mind Ander and I are rather    
busy at the moment. Matters of state and all." Her smiled to take the bite   
out of his words.   
   
   "I know, I know. The kingdom doesn't run itself." Amethyst turned to go.   
   
   "Wait, Lady Amethyst!" It was Ander, she turned back. "I think your   
eyes are beautiful." He had the most peculiar expression on his face.   
   
   "Uh, thanks." She left glancing back suspiciously at him. Something    
strange was going on here. She continued on through the garden till she    
found somewhere quiet. She had never consciously tried to fly although   
she often woke in the night a few feet above the bed. Now it was time to   
give it a go, but carefully. She wasn't the only one that would get hurt   
if she fell too far. She stood in the middle of the grass and tried to    
lift herself off the ground, it didn't seem to work. Then she was startled   
by a voice from behind her.   
   
   "Perhaps you need a little fairy dust."   
   
   She span around, it was Sinister. "Nathan. I am glad you could come."   
   
   "I am only sorry I was delayed. So my brothers wife is a mutant    
like me. Tell me sister have you truly never experienced these powers    
before?"   
   
   "Never."   
   
   "It is very strange. Most mutations appear at adolescence and you are    
most certainly past that. But there are many hormonal changes involved in    
pregnancy too. Perhaps that is what triggered it." He looked over her.   
"So other than then the eyes and the cute little wings what powers have   
you shown?" He moved closer to her as she answered.   
   
   "Just the flying, but I can't do it consciously. I keep waking up    
floating above the bed, its getting a bit annoying." Sinister seemed to   
be standing very close to her. It reminded her of something, "You know   
since this morning everyone seems to be behaving strangely to me. Ander   
was very peculiar earlier and you know how strict he is to his duty."   
   
   "Indeed," he didn't seem to be listening to her.   
   
   "Nathan are you all right?"   
   
   "Yes I am fine, it's just ... you are so beautiful." he reached out   
to caress her cheek.   
   
   She knocked his hand away. "Nathan! What are you doing?"   
   
   He just stared at her and it was beginning to scare her. In    
desperation she slapped him hard. He jumped and his eyes seemed to come    
back into focus. "Amethyst! I am, so sorry. I don't know ... or perhaps   
I do. I think your power may just have revealed itself."   
   
   "What do you mean, I didn't do anything."   
   
   "Not consciously no, but mutant powers can be rather uncontrollable    
at first. As you are quite old to get them it may be even harder for    
you to learn. After all you are mentally 28 even if your body has not   
changed in the last nine years."   
   
   "So what are my powers? To make people act strange?" she asked   
sarcastically.   
   
   "No they are much more interesting than that my dear and quite    
powerful. I can still feel the pull despite my formidable defences.   
You, sister, have been given the power of love."    
   
          Amethyst was miserable. She hadn't left her chambers for    
over a month now. Every time she stepped out the door people started   
declaring their undying love for her. One man had managed to    
climb up to the window without being caught, she had managed to push    
him off the ledge in annoyance. The broken leg would stop him   
doing that again in a hurry. Most people seemed only to be affected   
when they actually saw her, it wore off when she was out of sight.   
She had tried to get it under control but nothing seemed to work.   
Sinister had said some people never managed to fully control their    
powers. They had thought it might be something to do with her eyes,   
but wearing dark glasses didn't help. She'd tried meditation, no   
difference. Quite frankly they were at a loss. Sinister said he knew   
some-one he thought might be able to help her but she was now six and   
a half months pregnant and there was no way Jareth was going to let her   
leave the Labyrinth till after she had given birth. Quite frankly she   
didn't really fancy traipsying about Earth till she had lost the extra   
weight and got some energy back anyway. It wasn't really too bad here.   
She got plenty of sunshine through the huge windows and there were plenty   
of plants and flowers so she didn't yearn for the gardens too much. She   
also had books and her computer and the TV. She had demanded Jareth    
bring her computer and a television into the Labyrinth. She had seen no    
reason why being Queen of the Labyrinth should mean she had to miss Red    
Dwarf or Babylon 5 or leave the various friends she'd made on the Internet.    
In fact she had written several "fictional" stories about the Labyrinth to    
send out. How Jareth had managed to get into the phone lines she had no    
idea but the phone company certainly knew nothing about it. She heard a    
knock at the door.   
   
   "Who is it?"      
   
   "It's me Lady Amethyst, I have a message from the King," called    
Anya through the door.   
   
   "Come in then."   
   
   She slipped around the door nervously. Anya had spent most of the   
day with Amethyst at first but eventually long term exposure to her    
powers had affected her too and she had to leave. Now the only person    
she saw was Jareth and occasionally his brother. She could see Ander    
outside the door staring at her.   
   
   "Well what is it?" she snapped. Why couldn't she make them fall in    
love with someone else, why did it have to be her?   
   
   Anya took a step forward, "L ... Lord Jareth wishes you to know he    
will be late for dinner tonight."   
   
   "Fine, you can go." So maybe she could, that would be fun. Amused for    
a rare moment she visualised two little purple cupid arrows flying into    
them. When they actually appeared she was so surprised that they flew off    
in the wrong direction and vanished into the wall. Anya stared wide-eyed    
for a moment and then beat a strategic retreat. Amethyst stood staring    
open-mouthed at the door. "Wow!" She stepped backwards from the door and    
sat on the couch. That is really neat, I have got to try it again. I    
wonder what would happen if they had hit them. Inspired she ran out onto    
the balcony and scanned the garden. Below she could see the doctor and    
the midwife arguing, probably about her diet again. The midwife felt   
Amethyst should eat what she wanted and the doctor thought she should   
be on a strict diet that he had planned out. Amethyst, unsurprisingly,   
sided with the midwife. But that was irrelevant for the moment, what was   
important was that they couldn't stand each other. They were much further   
away than Ander and Anya, she needed something to aim the arrows. Well   
that meant a bow obviously. She tried to visualise a bow but nothing   
happened. Well her powers weren't to create thins, perhaps if she thought   
of it more as a part of her power, like the arrows, instead of just a   
bow. She closed her eyes and held out her hands, she thought of the bow   
as the natural way for her mind to aim her powers, when she opened her   
eyes in her hands lay a completely weightless crystal bow. She raised   
it and mentally fitted two arrows to it and pointed them at the pair in   
the middle of the grass. Keeping in her mind who was to be struck and    
what was supposed to happen she released the arrows. They hit the targets    
easily and vanished inside them not seeming to cause any sensation, the   
bow also vanished as Amethyst waited in anticipation. Down below the   
conversation began to falter and the couple fell into a passionate    
embrace.   
   
  "Yes!" cried Amethyst triumphantly. "Look out Cupid, I'm after your job."   
     
        Amethyst rather enjoyed the rest of the day practising with   
her new found power. She was lying on the bed taking a rest, she   
seemed to tire so easily these days, when she heard Jareth storm   
through the door into their quarters.   
   
   "Amethyst!"   
   
   Oh shit, she thought. This does not sound good. She sat up as he   
came into the bedroom.   
   
   He went into controlled anger mode and spoke through partially    
clenched teeth, "It has come to my attention that people appear to   
be ... "falling in love" with something rather more than gay abandon    
today. For some strange reason I suspect you may have played a small   
part in this. Please tell me I am incorrect." He stared at her.   
   
   Amethyst went red. "I ..."   
   
   "I knew it!" he began to pace. "You can't just go interfering with   
people's lives like that! Some of those people are married!! You had   
better be able to fix them." He turned to face her.   
   
   "I ... I don't know if I can ... I never thought to try..."   
   
   "Amethyst!! What if you can't? What if it is permanent? And even   
if it isn't these are people's emotions you are playing with! You   
know Dr Erlan and that midwife can't stand each other. How are   
they going to feel when they get back to normal? Did you not think!"   
   
   Amethyst tried to say something intelligible, to defend herself,   
but she never could cope when people started to shout at her and she    
broke into tears.   
   
   Jareth immediately stopped his rant and went to her side, "Amethyst   
love, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout, I know you hate it when I    
shout." He gathered her into his arms.   
   
   "I ... I'm sorry." She said through her tears. "I can't help it."   
   
   "I know, I know. It doesn't matter." He stroked her hair. "I'm   
sure you didn't mean to hurt anyone."   
   
   "Of course I didn't. I'm just so sick of being stuck in here and   
I guess I sort of blame them for it. Like its their fault I make   
them fall in love with me." She wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry."   
   
   "I know you are, I'm sure it'll wear off soon. I just hope they   
forgive you or should I find you a new midwife?"   
   
   "I think you better. Sasha will be mortified, I doubt she'll want   
to stick around and be faced with Dr Erlan every day."   
   
   "You are probably right. I'll see to it tomorrow. But now," he    
stood up and pulled Amethyst to her feet. "we will have dinner and   
you will tell me about your new power and I will tell you what a   
dreadful day I have had and then we will take a relaxing bath and   
go to bed and forget today ever happened. Agreed?"   
   
   Amethyst smiled and hugged her husband, "Agreed."   
   
   They went through to the main room and Jareth rang the bell for   
dinner. "I shouldn't havwe got so angry, after all they are our   
subjects. If you want to practice your powers who else should you   
practice on?"   
   
   "Jareth! Keep talking like that and I'll re-evaluate my opinion   
of you as a kind and benevolent ruler."   
   
   "Why Amethyst my dear, you know I only have the best interests of   
my subjects in mind at all times."   
   
   "Ha! They wish." Amethyst sat down at the table.   
   
   "Really, you can be so crass at times." There was a knock at the   
door. "Enter."   
   
   A maid entered with a trolley and started putting dishes onto the   
table. Every now and then she would glance quickly at Amethyst. She   
and Jareth waited in silence until she had left.    
   
   "God I hate the way they look at me, the women. They resent me and   
they're afraid of me. But it's better than the men, those damned   
puppy dog eyes!"   
   
   "I know its hard," said Jareth serving them dinner. "But it's only   
for a while longer and then we'll see what this Xavier person my   
brother speaks so highly of can do."   
   
   "I hope he can help. But enough of this, how was your day?"   
   
   "Abyssmal. Paperwork and petty disputes. Why does ruling a kingdom    
have to be so boring. I thought it was supposed to be grand and exciting?"   
   
   "Back when you were young and foolish."   
   
   "I was never young and foolish."   
   
   "Of course not dear."   
    
    It was due. It was due today. It would be on time wouldn't it? She   
had everything ready. What she was going to wear, where she was going to    
have it. The room next door was all decorated and ready, the dwarves had   
gifted them a carved wooden cradle. It was absolutely stunning, with ivy   
leaves and cherubs. The elves had sent artists to paint a mural of green   
forests on the wall. The new midwife Jenna was never far away. Jareth    
was more on edge than she had ever seen him.   
   
    Well surely it would come today then. It couldn't be much longer? She   
was so big! Compared to her diminutive height and build her stomach   
seemed enormous jutting out from her like a huge alien growth. She lay    
in bed till two o'clock unwilling to drag her weight onto her aching legs.   
She lay on her back feeling the pressure press down on her spine. Now! She   
thought, go on! Start! Nothing happened.   
    
   "It's not coming!" Amethyst yelled. "It is never going to come! Do   
you understand? I am going to stay like this ... forever! It's this   
place, I don't get any older here and now I am never going to give birth."   
   
   "Calm down Amethyst," said Jareth with a tired smile. " Plenty of people    
have had babies in the Labyrinth."   
   
   "Not humans. Only you and I are really human here. Maybe it's different   
for us."   
   
   "Now you are being paranoid. You are only two days after your date."   
   
   "But it feels like forever. I've been expecting it to come for two    
weeks now. I just want it out!"   
   
   "The pregnant woman in all her bloom."   
   
   "Ha ha! This is all your fault."   
   
   "What do you mean my fault?"   
   
   "'Lets have a child, an heir to the throne'" she mimicked.   
   
   "You were just as happy to have a child as I was, don't go blaming   
me now just because your back aches and your feet hurt. You knew what   
you were getting yourself into."   
   
   "Humph!" Amethyst wandered over to the bed and stared at it before   
spinning around, not too fast, "I just want to be able to lie on my   
stomach again and touch my toes and climb a tree and have sex again!"   
   
   "Just cause you're pregnant doesn't mean we can't have sex," said   
Jareth with a gleam in his eye.   
   
   "But it's no fun! I'm too uncomfortable and my back hurts and the   
baby starts kicking me." She sighed. "I'm going to bed."   
   
   Jareth looked rather disappointed.   
    
   Amethyst woke up early still feeling very drowsy. She closed her   
eyes for a while and tried to get back to sleep when the cramp that   
had woken her came again. Gasping she struggled into a sitting    
position. She reached over to shake Jareth awake, "Jareth! It's time."   
    
    It was fifteen and a half hours since she awoke and Amethyst was    
once more asleep. Cleaned up and back in her own bed with her new   
son Westerly (born September the 16th, 6:14pm and weighing seven and   
a half pounds) in the dwarves cradle by her side. Jareth sat across the   
room in the twilight shadows watching the warm tones of the sunset   
play across her face.    
   
   'Now she will leave me,' he thought. 'Go back to her Earth to learn    
to use her new powers with these X-Men. What will you and I do then    
little son of mine? She will meet new people, make new friends, new...    
loves and she will forget all about us.' He walked over to the bed    
quietly and sat on the edge softly so as not to wake her. 'Ten years    
isn't so bad. More than some people get and it has been so good. Better    
than I had ever hoped. I will miss you.' He sighed and slipped off his    
shirt before sliding carefully into the bed and curling around her to    
sleep.   
   
   Westerly woke them up not long after midnight crying faintly in his   
sleep, they were both light sleepers even when tired. After that Jareth    
couldn't get back to sleep so he sat up at his desk reading over some    
documents he should have read last week.    
   
   When the baby woke properly at five Jareth was asleep with his head    
buried in paperwork. Amethyst picked up the baby to quiet him and then    
slipped a pillow under Jareth's head before sitting back on the bed to    
let the baby suckle, not that she was producing milk yet but it would   
help stimulate it. 'God but newborns are ugly,' she thought. 'It's funny    
though that they can be so beautiful at the same time.'   
   
   "You are so beautiful aren't you?" she stifled a yawn. "But you'd be   
even more beautiful if Mummy wasn't so tired and if her breasts didn't   
hurt so much." She undid the other half of her maternity bra peering at    
her breasts. "For God's sake! They were so small, how the hell'd they ever    
get so big?" She yawned again and reached over to ring the bell, a few    
moments later a maid peered around the door.   
   
   "Call for breakfast. Orange juice, porridge and brown sugar. Coffee   
for Lord Jareth."   
   
   "Yes my Lady."   
   
   By the time breakfast was brought Westerly was quite alert and cooing.    
Amethyst let Jareth sleep while his coffee cooled off and left her breakfast    
on the bedside cabinet while she changed the baby's nappy. Westerly gave a    
cry when he felt the cold air as she removed his clothing. When she opened    
the nappy Jareth spoke and she nearly jumped out of her skin.   
   
   "It's green!"   
   
   "I thought you were asleep."   
   
   "Why is it green?"   
   
   "It's called meconium, it's just ... stuff. Mucous and fluid from the   
womb and stuff like that. It'll go away in a few days."   
   
   "Oh yes, that was in the book. I remember now." He picked up his coffee   
and sipped at it tentatively. "How are you feeling?"   
   
   "Ok, a bit tired. You can come over you know, it doesn't smell. Besides,"   
she finished cleaning up and brought out a new nappy. "I'm nearly finished."   
   
   Jareth smiled and came over stretching out his back. "I wish I hadn't   
fallen asleep in that chair."   
   
   "If it hurts then why do you do it so often?" She lifted Westerly and   
handed him to Jareth. "Amuse him while I eat my breakfast."   
   
   He took him easily having studied the baby books for weeks but once he   
had him he looked rather helpless. "What do I do with him? I mean he   
can't walk, he can't talk..."   
   
   "Just talk to him, make faces at him. Show him things, simple things,   
bright things."   
   
   "Right, right." Jareth looked rather awkward. "I'll ... just take him    
into the other room." He left.   
   
   Amethyst laughed, she knew how he felt. When her younger siblings   
had been born she'd always felt awkward talking to them before they could    
talk. She never had been able to do that "ootchy cootchy" stuff. She sat   
down and ate her breakfast ravenously. Afterward she pulled off her    
nightie to look at her stomach. It was still larger than usual but it   
wasn't too bad, a bit loose but that should go away. The birth had gone   
quite well really, although it had started at 5:30 in the morning her   
water hadn't broken until about three that afternoon. Plus she hadn't    
torn or anything, she'd been a bit worried about that. She opened her    
closet and pulled out a loose green jersey dress to wear. She then tip-   
toed through to the nursery. Jareth was indeed talking to the baby as   
they sat by the window.   
   
   "Daddy will look after you. We'll be fine. I'll teach you to talk   
and read and when you're older we can go horse-riding and I will show   
you the Labyrinth and then one day it will all be yours. You won't   
miss her, I can give you everything you need right here."   
   
   Amethyst backed out of the room. 'I have to leave! I had forgotten.   
But how can I go now?' She sat down on the bed. 'He doesn't think I'm   
going to come back. Is he really so insecure still, that he thinks his   
own wife would desert her husband and her son just to go play super-heroes   
on Earth?'   
    
   Jareth came into the room with Westerly.   
   
   "Have you finished your breakfast yet?" he asked.   
   
   "Yes." She looked away out of the window.   
   
   "What's wrong?"   
   
   She turned to him, "Why don't you think I'm going to come back?"   
   
   "I don't know what you mean."   
   
   "Don't lie to me!" She stood up. "I heard you! Do you think I don't    
love you? Do you think I've spent ten years here with you, putting up   
with your moods, for a laugh? Do you think I just had your baby on a    
whim? What do you think you are to me? An amusing diversion? A momentary    
distraction? A cheap fling?"   
   
   "Amethyst I ..."   
   
   "I'm not going cause I want to you know. It's not like I have much of   
a choice. Leave and learn to control my powers or stay and go slowly    
mad locked in our room. If I could stay I would, if I knew someway to   
just get rid of these powers for good. I don't want to be a mutant. I   
don't want to go." She stopped shouting and repeated herself quietly.   
"I don't want to go. Not now." She started to cry. "Please tell me I   
can't go."   
   
   "I wish I could," he told her. "I would love to tell you I won't    
allow it, order you to stay. And I know you would. But you have to go."   
He transfered the baby to one arm and pulled her closer, "And if you say   
that you'll come back then of course I believe you."   
   
   "No you don't. I know you too well. You think I'm going to go to   
Earth and forget all about you cause despite ten years of marriage    
you're still as insecure and pathetic as ever."   
   
   "Pathetic! I am not pathetic and I am not insecure either."   
   
   "Of course not." They sat down on the couch. " But just to be sure we    
shall make a deal. If in two months time I don't feel I'm getting anywhere    
with these X-Men then I'll come back and we'll think of something else.    
Plus I promise that I will visit you at least once a week. Or you could    
come see me, it is possible you know. Earth isn't any further away to you    
than the Goblin City with your powers. Why don't you give me the crystal    
powers you offered me before and then I can get in touch with you easily    
and come back to the Labyrinth if I need to?"   
   
   "You'll take them?"   
   
   "Well there's no reason to refuse them now with all the powers I've    
already got."   
   
   "I suppose not." He aused, " When are you going to leave?"   
   
   "I don't know, I don't want to go. I've been sort of ignoring the fact   
I have to lately."   
   
   "I think it would be best if you went soon, no reason to wait any   
longer. It'll only make it harder."   
   
   "I suppose so. Do you have a wet nurse for West?" She took the baby   
from him.   
   
   "Yes, it's all sorted out. You should wait a few days though, having   
a baby isn't something that can be shrugged off easily."   
   
   "Tell me about it. I still hurt. I'll leave the day after tomorrow."   
   
   "So soon?"   
   
   "Like you said, waiting only makes it harder."   
   
   "Are you going to cry again?" he asked with a smile.   
   
   "No! I am not going to cry."   
   
   "You are allowed to you know. Aren't you supposed to get depressed after   
you give birth?"   
   
   "Not necessarily. I refuse to get depressed and I'm not going to cry.    
Well not today anyway."   
   
       When the day came she couldn't believe it. There was a thunderstorm.   
She had a sneaking suspicion Jareth had something to do with it. Well   
it certainly made for a dramatic exit. She had said goodbye to West    
earlier and he was now asleep. She sat on the window seat in jeans and a   
shirt, jeans that were rather tighter than last time she'd worn them,   
and watched the storm. She had a small bag at her feet with what she    
thought she might need. She wasn't taking many clothes with her as they    
had plenty of money banked on Earth, the mountains outside the Labyrinth   
were rich in precious metals and stones. She had a few photographs and   
some of her favourite jewellry. Also some breast pads, she had pills that    
should dry her milk up fairly quickly but till then she'd need the pads.   
A few other bits and pieces; hand cream and ponstan and stuff like that.   
Outside the fork lightening flashed across the sky and the rain streaked   
down the window. She heard the door open and turned around. It was Jareth.   
   
   "All ready to go?" he asked.   
   
   "I'll never be ready to go," she answered.   
      
   "I brought you something." From behind his back he produced a fluffy   
stuffed dolphin.   
   
   Amethyst laughed, "Thank you." She stuffed it into her bag.   
   
   "Stand still and I'll give you the crystal powers."    
   
   She nodded and he produced a crystal ball from nowhere. Holding it up    
he spun it around until it was on the tip of his finger and then it    
suddenly expanded rapidly to envelop her. For a moment all she could see   
was reflected light and then it was gone. "Has it worked?"   
   
   "Yes. You've seen me use them often enough so you ought to know what   
to do. Try them."   
   
   Concentrating she crossed her hands and when she drew them apart she    
held a crystal ball between them. She lifted it with one hand and began to    
pass it back and forward over her arms. She threw it up and when it came   
back down it was an apple. She threw it up again and it vanished. "I   
prefer that to my powers, it's just so much more elegant."   
   
   "Do you want to send yourself or should I do it?" he asked.   
   
   "You do it, I'd rather practise more before anything that big."   
   
   Jareth nodded, "Well ... I shall miss you."   
   
   "It won't be long, I promise." Amethyst hugged him close, "I'll be   
back before you know it."   
   
   He kissed her and stepped away, "Goodbye."   
   
   "Look after Westerly."   
   
   "Of course."   
   
   She picked up her bag, "I'm not going to say goodbye cause I'll talk to   
you tomorrow."   
   
   He nodded and then in one smooth motion produced a crystal ball and threw   
it at her. It expanded in it's flight and hovered around her a second before   
it vanished taking her with it. Outside the lightening flashed continuously   
for several minutes and then the storm vanished leaving the night sky silent   
and dark.   
   
\------------------------------   
continued in Love's First Kiss   
   
(c) copyright Marysia , 1995

 


	2. Love's First Kiss

The X-Men are copyright to Marvel Comics. Amethyst is copyright to me.    
\----------------------------------------------------------------------   
   
 **The Amethyst Saga Part 3**  
 **Love's First Kiss**  
 **by Lady Amethyst  Spring 1995**  
               
   
    It was a warm night and Rogue stood against an old oak looking up    
at the moon. She was of course avoiding Remy who had been bugging her    
all day to go out tonight. She just wasn't in the mood for fending    
off his pointless advances for the umpteenth time. The guy sure had a    
selective memory, didn't he remember what had happened when Morph    
tricked him into kissing her? She sighed and scuffed the grass with    
her foot.   
   
    "Hey, chere. What'ya doin out in the dark? "   
       
    "Just lookin' at the moon Remy, takin some time for myself. "   
       
    She wondered if he would take the hint. He didn't.   
       
    "Or maybe you were just hopin' I'd come out and find you. What    
  say you and I use this opportunity," he stepped closer, " to get to    
  know each other a little better? " He moved in to kiss her.   
     
    "God damn it Remy!" She pulled away. " Why n't you ever quit.    
  You know I can't kiss you. Why d'you keep pushin' me like this? "     
     
    "I jus' want to make sure you know how I feel 'bout you chere. "   
       
    "Oh Remy there are easier ways you know." She sighed. " Ah    
  think its time we came to some sort of descision, sorted out once    
  and for all what we mean to each other and what we're gonna do    
  about it. "     
   
    "Dere's nuthin' I'd like better chere. You know I love you. "   
       
    "Ah know you do and ah love you." She reached up to his face with    
  a gloved hand. " But until ah get my powers under control, if ah    
  ever do, we can't have a normal relationship. An' if we're gonna    
  have any sorta relationship you're gonna have ta quit tryin' ta do    
  things you know we can't do. "   
     
    "I know cherie, I know. Gambit will do his best an' if I promise    
  t'behave will you come out with me? "   
     
    "Course ah will."     
   
     As instructed Remy had behaved himself, well as close to    
behaving as that cajun tom-cat could get, but Rogue had still felt    
uncomfortable. She almost missed his pointless advances, at least    
then she had known how to react to him, what to do. Lashing out    
sure was easier than talking.    
   
    "Ah've had enough of bein' diff'rent," she said to herself.    
"It's time ah did somethin' about it."   
    
    She straightened up resolved and then slouched back again. It    
was all very well to make a descision but what exactly was she    
supposed to do? She didn't want to lose her powers, she just wanted    
to be able to touch someone. Who do you ask when you don't know the    
answer?    
   
    "The Professor, Beast..." she murmured.   
       
    When you want something special, something complicated.   
       
    "Forge!" she cried and leapt into the air. Within minutes she    
was a speck on the horizon.   
   
\----------------------------------------------------------------------   
   
    Rogue flashed through the air in a streak of yellow and green.   
       
    'How come ah never thought of this before?' she asked herself.    
 'All ah need is some sort a power dampenin thing an surely that    
 can't be so complicated. Guess ah've been so busy bein a martyr to    
 mah fate that ah never thought about gettin it fixed. Especially    
 since it would mean losin all mah powers ... but it wouldn't be    
 permanent or nothin. Ah don't think.'   
    
    Rogue came down to land in Washington in front of a door. She    
 paused and then knocked confidently. The door was opened by Havok,    
 Scotts' brother Alex.   
    
    "Rogue? "   
       
    "Ah've come to see Forge, is he around? " she asked peering down    
 the hall.   
    
    "He's here, through the back ..."   
       
    Rogue took off down the hall and disappeared through a door.   
       
    "Nice to see you too," Alex said to nothing.   
            
    Forge was hunched over a desk fiddling inside a toaster of all    
 things. She nearly chickened out and left but he turned and saw her.   
    
    "Rogue, what are you doing here?"   
       
    "Ah came to talk to you, to ask you a ... favour."   
       
    "Really? Why don't you take a seat, would you like some tea?"   
       
    "Uh, sure, thanks." Rogue sat down and fidgeted as Forge brewed    
 some tea for them.    
    
    "So tell me, how are the X-men ... how is Ororo?" His voice was    
 slightly strained and his smile somewhat artificial.   
    
    "They're ... she's fine."   
       
    Forge sat down at the table. " So I presume you have finally    
 found the courage to ask me if I can help you to control your runaway    
 powers?"   
    
    Rogue stared at him.   
       
    "I have been expecting you to get round to it eventually."   
       
    "Ah ... why didn't you just offer then?" she asked.   
       
    "It is not always so simple Rogue," he answered. " People don't    
 like it if you run around solving all their problems for them,    
 sometimes they prefer to keep their problems and the benefits that go    
 with them. "   
    
    "Well ah've had enough of mah ... problem ... and ah do want you    
 to do somethin' about it. If you can that is," she amended. " Can    
 you?"   
    
    "Yes. But it will not be without its price Rogue."   
       
    "Ah know Forge, but ah have to try."   
       
    "I have a dampening field I can modify to make specific to your    
 powers but you must remember it will not be just your original powers    
 that will be lost when it is turned on, the powers you gained from Ms    
 Marvel will go to. Including your invulnerability and super strength.    
 It may be difficult for you to adapt to this change. "   
    
    "Ah can do it Forge, ah know ah can."   
       
    "I'm sure you can. But you will have to stay here for a short    
 while. A week to modify the device for you and another fortnight for    
 observation of any after effects. Do you have the time to spare now?"   
    
    "Ah'm not goin' ta wait any longer for this. Lets get started."   
       
     --------------------------------------------------------------------------   
   
        The Professor sat a moment at the phone. He was worried about    
this. Rogue's inability to control her powers been very hard for her but    
at the same time it had given her things too. A crutch to lean on, to    
blame for life's difficulties. A standoffishness, an excuse never to get   
too close. He doubted that she really understood how different her life    
would be after this. He knew what she expected. That she would run into    
Gambits arms and they would both live happily ever after, but no-one    
live's happily ever after,especially not mutants. It was going to be    
hard for Gambit too.   
   
   "Professor?"   
   
   "Gambit. Can I help you?"   
   
   "Ain't no-one seen Rogue since last night. You know where she be?"   
   
   "Yes she ... she called from DC."   
   
   "Washington!" Gambit exclaimed. "What chere be doin' there?"   
   
   "She has gone to see Forge. Apparantly he has designed a dampening    
field for her. To help her control her powers."   
   
   "Control her powers. So she can touch!" Gambits face lit up. "I be    
goin' to Washington." Gambit turned to go.   
   
   "Gambit wait." Gambit turned back. "She asked me to tell you not to    
come."   
   
   "But..."   
   
   "Let her get used to the idea before she sees you. This isn't going    
to be easy for her. Give her some space."   
   
   Gambit looked indescisive for a moment, torn between ignoring logic as    
 usual and knowing the Professor was right. Eventually he spoke, "I guess   
 you be right Professor." He turned and left.   
    
        Rogue felt so tense she thought she might explode. Forge's lab    
was bright and cold and ... and absolutely terrifying. He and Beast, who   
had flown a few days ago to help out, were talking quietly at the other    
side of the room. She fingered the chain around her neck which held the    
transmitter for the field. The silver box on the table by her side    
controlled it. Beast came over to her.   
   
   "Just relax Rogue," he said as he taped electrodes to her brow.   
   
   "Easy for you to say fuzzball," she answered through clenched teeth.   
   
  There was a knock at the door. "Come in Rahne," called Forge.   
    
   "A'm no late am I Forge?" she said looking round the lab nervously.   
     
   "No you're just in time. Take a seat and we'll start." He turned to   
  Rogue. "Rahne has agreed to be our test subject on the first full run,    
  if that's okay with you."   
   
   "Sure," she smiled at Rahne who smiled back.   
   
   "Then we shall begin. Dr McCoy?"   
   
   "Certainly. This will feel very different from the previous runs Rogue.    
It will be much stronger, there may even be a little pain at first but    
don't worry about it. I will be monitoring you closely."   
   
  Rogue nodded. "Ah'm ready."   
   
   "Then switch it on."   
   
  Rogue reached over to the silver box and flipped the switch. For a    
second there was nothing and she thought it hadn't worked. But as she    
turned to Forge to ask what was wrong she felt it. Momentarily every    
sense switched off and there was pain. Then she was back, weakness and    
nausea washed over her,for a moment she thought she might faint but she    
didn't. The nausea faded.   
   
   "How do you feel Rogue?" inquired Beast.   
   
   "Like ah jus' went through a tumble dryer," she moaned putting a hand    
to her head. "Is it always gonna feel like this?"   
   
   "No. The effect will weaken as your body becomes used to the process.    
But let's be sure it has worked. Can you fly?"   
   
  Rogue tried to rise out her seat to no avail. "They're gone! Ah can't    
do it," she cried. She looked at Forge and then at Rahne.   
   
   "Yes we'll try it now. Come on Rahne."    
   
  Rahne stood nervously and Forge brought her over to Rogue. Rogue    
removed her gloves slowly and reaching out she grasped Rahne's out   
stretched hands. They stared apprehensively at each other, nothing    
happened. Rogue gasped.   
   
   "It works! It really works!" She jumped to her feet and hugged Forge.    
"It works," she repeated.   
   
   "So it seems," he smiled.   
    
        Gambit was sitting on the front steps smoking a cigarette and    
staring into the distance. He heard the door behind him but ignored it.   
   
   "You've been sulking about the mansion for the past week Gambit,    
what's wrong with you."   
   
   "Ain't nuthin' wrong with me Drake."   
   
   "Pull the other one LeBeau, you ought to be on top of the world.    
Doesn't Rogue come back soon?"   
   
   Gambit sighed and flicked away his cigarette. "That's just it Bobby.    
I don't know if I'm ready to see Rogue." He paused, "At first I    
couldn't wait to see her but now I don't know. Its gon' change    
everyting. I been chasin' her so long I don' know if I want to catch    
her no more, maybe I never did."   
   
   Bobby sat down on the step next to Gambit. "I can't say you surprise    
me. I've had my suspicions about your intentions before LeBeau. You    
play with her head and lie to her again and again."   
   
   Gambit stood up defensively. "I never wanted to hurt her! I may have    
made some mistakes but I never ... never ..." The fight went out of    
him and he sat down again looking despondent. "Gambit has really messed   
up huh? You be right. Chere'd be happier if I'd left her alone from de    
start."   
   
   Bobby reached out and put his hand on Gambits arm. "Look LeBeau, I    
shouldn't have said that. I may not think you've handled things very    
well but it's not up to me to judge and I'm sure you didn't do anything   
on purpose. You love Rogue and she loves you. I'm sure everything will    
work out just fine when she gets back."   
   
   "I hope you be right Bobby, but Gambit got de feelin' you aint."   
   
  They both stared out into the night.   
   
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------   
     
    Rogue had called the Professor last night to say that she and Beast   
would be back the next day around lunchtime. Jean and Ororo had arranged    
a welcome home dinner to celebrate her new found freedom. Gambit had    
slept badly and woken early and had been skulking ever since. It was one    
o'clock. Jubilee had been watching the driveway since 11.30am and was    
seriously ready to give up when Hank's jeep came down the drive.   
   
   "They're here!" she hollered into the hall. She spotted Gambit on the    
stairs, "Hey LeBeau. put a smile on your face and come meet them."   
   
   Most of the residents of the mansion gathered on the doorstep as the    
car pulled up. Rogue stepped out looking the same as ever except for a    
silver pendant about her throat and the absense of her gloves. She looked    
nervous.    
   
   "Uh, hi guys," she said.   
   
   Ororo stepped forward, "Welcome back Rogue, I trust all went well?"   
   
   "Why don't ya see for yourself?" asked Rogue extending her hand.    
   
   With only a slight hesitation Storm took it and when nothing happened   
she pulled Rogue into a quick hug and the rest of the team came closer    
calling out congratulations. They hustled her into the mansion and then    
faded away discretely leaving only her and Gambit in the sitting room.   
   
   "Have ya not missed me Remy?" she asked, worried at his    
uncharacteristic silence.   
      
   "Course I have Chere," he answered. But hid eyes didn't hold hers for    
long. She didn't notice and held out her hands to him. He took them    
gently, as if taking hold of a bubble he was deadly afraid would burst.    
Tipping her face up to his they kissed. Perhaps everything would be all    
right after all.   
   
    In the hallway Bobby leant against the bannister wondering why he felt    
so loathe to leave them alone together. Sure Rogue was beautiful and    
intelligent and strong and ... but she was in love with Gambit! Wasn't    
she? He sighed and giving the stair a half-hearted kick went upstairs    
to take a cold shower. Or maybe a bath. A long, slow, hot bath that he    
could hide in till dinner-time. Wandering round to the bathroom he found    
the door half open and steam pouring out, peering in he saw Jubilee    
poking a finger through the mounds of bubbles to test the heat. She    
must've bought out the body shop he though staring at the row of bottles    
she'd lined up on the shelf. She turned to him.   
   
   "Too late ice-pop, bathrooms mine for the next three hours at least."   
   
   Bobby pulled out muttering under his breath, "Hope she drowns in three   
feet of perfumed, fruit flavoured, rain-forest friendly, exfoliating    
creme bath gel gunk."   
      
   "I heard that Drake!" she yelled back. "There goes your Christmas    
card."   
   
   He wandered on to the second bathroom, the door was locked and inside    
he could hear giggling and splashing.   
   
   "I hope your wings are stainless steel Warren."   
   
   I didn't know Psylocke could giggle, he thought moving back downstairs    
in search of the third and last bathroom. He started to hear singing    
before he even reached the bottom stair and by the time he reached the    
bathroom door the sound of Hank's voice was overpowering. Great! he    
thought, just great.    
   
    Dinner had been good. Everyone had been in high spirits with the    
possible exception of Bobby who had been uncharacteristically silent.    
Even his responses to Jubilee's usual teasing had been half-hearted. They    
were now all in the rec room watching Aliens. Rogue was sitting on the    
sofa curled up with Remy but she felt her eyes straying to Bobby sitting    
across the room from her. The light flickering from the television turned    
his hair from blue to green to red and back again and highlighted his    
face. She found herself tracing his features with her eyes, how come    
she'd never noticed how good looking he was before. She supposed that    
she'd had enough to worry about with one person she wanted but couldn't    
touch, never mind two. But now she could touch anyone she wanted and she    
found herself wanting to throw herself into it.    
   
   "Eeeuuww!" exclaimed Jubilee. "Why are we watching this? They are just    
way too much like the Brood for their own good." She didn't stop watching    
though.   
   
   Gambit turned to smile at Rogue only to find her staring across the    
room at Iceman. Bobby chose that moment to look round at Rogue who turned    
away quickly so he wouldn't see her staring only to find herself face to    
face with Remy. He smiled a little unpleasantly.   
   
   "A little distacted Chere? Perhaps Gambit is not so interesting once   
you got him."   
   
   "Don' be silly Remy. Ah was just lookin' at him. It didn't mean    
anythin'."   
   
   "Course it didn't." he turned back to the film. Rogue leant her head    
against his shoulder and watched the film. But out of the corner of her    
eye she found herself conscious of every move Bobby made.   
    
   It was early morning and Rogue lay alone in her bed, this time not out    
of neccesity but out of choice. Remy had asked her to stay with him but    
she'd put him off, saying she was nervous, that she wasn't ready, that    
she'd only just been able to touch people and she wanted to get used to    
that before she went any further. He'd accepted that but had been    
disappointed. She was disappointed too, she'd expected everything to go    
like a fairy tale when she got back here but instead she was spoiling it    
all. She got out of bed and grabbed a robe then switched on the nullifier    
before heading down to the kitchen for brekfast. She really shouldn't use    
it so often, she'd cut it down in a few days. For now she wanted to relax    
a bit.   
    
   When she got to the kitchen Bobby was already there. He was wearing    
frayed jeans and no top and Rogue found herself blushing which made her    
feel silly which made her blush all the more. She ducked away and hid her    
head in the fridge on the pretense of searching for something. When she    
felt composed and turned back with a yoghurt in her hand she found Bobby    
standing right next to her with a most unusual look on his face.    
   
   "I get the feeling that its not quite plain sailing with you and    
Gambit."   
   
   "Thats between me an' Remy."   
   
   "Why don't I believe you?"   
   
   "Ah wouldn't know." she turned to go but Bobby caught her arm and she    
turned back to him.   
   
   "A girl is allowed to change her mind Rogue," he said softly. "You are    
very beautiful." He stroked her cheek. She was staring into his eyes and    
couldn't seem to look away. He bent down to kiss her but as his lips    
brushed hers she pulled away.    
   
   "Not yet Bobby, give me time ta think. Lets just talk."   
   
   "Sure Rogue," he paused. "What's your real name? It isn't Rogue is it?"   
   
   "No..." she seemed reticent.   
   
   "You can tell me can't you."   
    
   "Ah suppose but ya got ta promise not ta tell anyone else."   
   
   "I promise."   
   
   "It's ... it's Daisy-Mae," she blurted. "Daisy-Mae Roganne."   
   
   "Daisy-Mae?" he repeated incredulously.   
   
   "Ah know. It's so stupid, ah hate it."   
   
   "It's not stupid Ro ... Daisy-Mae. Its just different."   
   
   "Bobby ah swear if you ever call me that again ah'll take this    
necklace off and knock you seven ways to hell 'n back. Understand?"   
   
   "Absolutely."   
   
   Rogue laughed and took his hand, "No need to look so scared, ah    
couldn't knock you over even if ah took this necklace off. It takes mah    
powers a while ta come back again."   
   
   "How long?" asked Bobby, curious.   
   
   "Well ah only just put it on so jus' now it'd only take a few minutes    
but the longer ah wear it the longer they take ta come back. If ah wear    
it a full day then it takes a few hours before ah'm back ta normal."   
   
   "Isn't that dangerous? What if you were attacked?"   
   
   "Ah know. But ah ain't gonna wear it as often as ah do now. Eventually    
ah'll only wear it for ... special occasions."   
   
   She heard a sound in the doorway and turned to see Gambit standing    
there. She suddenly became very aware of the fact that she was still    
holding Bobby's hand and quickly dropped it.    
   
   "Isn't dis cosy. Tell me Chere does Gambit count as a special occasion,    
or only Iceman?"   
   
   Rogue opened her mouth to speak but didn't know what to say so closed    
it again. Gambit glowered at the two of them as he grabbed some stuff    
out the fridge and left as quickly as he'd appeared.   
   
   "I'm sorry Rogue. I shouldn't be causing problems between you and    
Gambit."   
   
   "Don't be sorry Bobby. Me an' the Cajun have plenty of troubles on our    
own. Ah doubt we realised quite how many 'till we didn't have any more    
excuses for them. An ah nevah realised quite how naive ah was to think ah    
could love some-one ah didn't even know. Ah think me 'n Gambit have been    
using each other as an excuse for not bein' happy for far too long. Ah    
don't want things to stay the same, ah've changed and ah want to explore    
things ah never could before."   
    
   Later that day the two teams were gathered in the Danger Room ready to    
begin a training session. The Professor was trying to teach them how to    
fight well in a melee. To produce one he had put them into groups of two    
with similar powers. Beast and Wolverine, Psylocke and Jean, Iceman and    
Storm, Jubilee and Gambit, Rogue and Bishop, Archangel and Cyclops. Rogue    
was feeling a little light headed. She had switched the nullifier off a    
couple of hours ago and her powers were back in full. She hadn't really    
had them for about a week she'd been using the nullifier so often. The    
task was to take out the other teams, winner is the group left standing.    
Once you were down you were "dead". Rogue eyed the teams, probably best    
to take out Storm, Scott, Elizabeth and Jean first. She turned to Bishop    
and whispered in his ear.   
   
   "Go for Storm first then Cyclops." He nodded. She would jump Betsy and    
take her powers using them to anticipate what the others would do.    
However she tried not to think of this so the two telepaths wouldn't    
catch her plan, instead she thought about Bobby. If they snoop in and    
hear me thinking of Bobby they'll leave again pretty pronto, I know what    
they're like about private thoughts, especially Jean.    
   
   The professor signalled the start of the match and Rogue threw herself    
headlong at Betsy without any thought and caught her unawares, she'd    
obviously overheard Scott planning to go for her and been too busy    
dodging his attack to notice Rogue. Archangel and Bishop were both trying    
to take out Storm who was too busy dodging feathers and gun fire to    
really produce anything fancy. Jean had grabbed Scott's mind and he was    
struggling to open his eyes. Beast had jumped Iceman and Wolverine was    
getting belted by Jubilee and Gambit in concert. Rogue snuck up behind    
Jubilee and using Psylocke's powers took Gambits strategy before stealing    
Jubilee's powers leaving her unconscious. By now Bobby had put Hank on    
ice and was zeroing in on Rogue. She surprised him by blinding him with    
Jubilee's fireworks and then knocked him unconscious against a wall    
before flying up to assist Bishop against Archangel now that they had    
taken down Storm. She threw fireworks at Warren from behind while Bishop   
shot at him from below and when he was finally distracted enough she    
plunged Betsy's psychic knife into the back of his head and he fell to    
the ground. But as she turned to congratulate Bishop he was struck down    
by Gambit who had won his fight with Wolverine and taken out Scott and    
Jean while they had been busy with Archangel. She eyed Gambit warily, if    
she could get close enough she could take him out but his projectile    
powers were far greater than those she had stolen from Jubilee. She was    
thinking hard when a wind blew through the Danger Room from nowhere and a    
young woman appeared directly between her and Gambit just in time to be    
hit by the card Gambit had thrown at Rogue. She was blasted into the wall    
and left unconscious. Gambit stared aghast at the felled woman but still    
full of the fire of battle Rogue took the advantage and put him into the    
wall with a single right hook.    
   
   "Ah win!" she declared as she flew over to the young woman to check    
she was alright. The Professor had entered the room and everyone but    
Wolverine, Gambit, Archangel and Bishop were on their feet again and    
moving toward the stranger. The Professor didn't look especially    
concerned so the others were chatting light-heartedly about the fight and    
the stranger as they gathered around.   
   
   "Well how was I supposed to see him? You had my eyes closed remember,"   
complained Scott.   
   
   "Me an' Gambit would've won if Rogue hadn't snuck up behind me like    
that," Jubilee insisted.   
   
   "Tough cheese squirt, you should've been paying more attention."   
   
   "So should I. I shouldn't have gone down so easy," said Betsy.   
   
   "That'll teach you to pay so much attention to Scott," retorted Jean   
with an amused flash in her eye.   
   
   For the X-Men a complete stranger materialising in the mansion was    
perfectly normal. Hank bent over the woman who was already coming around.    
She was quite small with long, incredibly blonde hair. She was wearing    
normal clothes, blue jeans and a green shirt. She opened her eyes which    
were a brilliant purple.   
   
   "Do you always treat visitors so politely?" she asked. She had an odd    
accent, a little Scottish but with something else mixed in.   
   
   The Professor spoke, "I'm afraid you appeared in the middle of one    
of our training sessions. Did you come here intentionally?"   
   
   "Well if you are Professor Charles Xavier and these are the X-Men then    
yes, I came here intentionally."   
   
   "We are. I think you should go with Dr McCoy to the infirmary, we    
will join you in a few minutes and you can tell us why you are here."    
Hank picked up her and her bag and carried her out of the Danger Room.   
   
   Gambit, Wolverine, Archangel and Bishop were now back on their feet    
and had joined the group.   
   
   "Dat was a low blow Rogue," said Gambit.   
   
   "Ah don't like to lose, besides ah ain't the one who blew the visitor   
half way t'next week."   
   
   "That's not fair!" Jubilee butted in. "Gambit didn't do that on    
purpose."   
   
   "Please," said the Professor. "You can argue later. Just now I want to    
ask if any of you have anything to say about our visitor."   
   
   "I don't feel any hostility from her, even though Gambit did blow her    
up," answered Jean. Gambit scowled at her.   
   
   "Neither did I," added Betsy. "If anything she seemed very glad to see    
us if a little sad."   
   
   "I urge caution Professor," said Bishop.   
   
   "Yeah, well what's new?" said Jubilee.   
   
   "Well I think I shall go meet our guest. I would rather you did not    
all accompany me, we do not want to frighten her. Gambit I think you    
should come and apologise."   
   
   Gambits scowl deepened and he muttered, "Anyone would tink I'd tried    
to kill her. Gambit don' hurt defensless women, specially not beautiful    
ones."   
   
   "Scott and I won't come along then. We've got .. things to do," said    
Jean.   
   
   "Betsy 'n I will miss this one too, we're going out to dinner    
tonight," added Archangel.   
   
   Gambit, Rogue, Wolverine, Bishop, Iceman, Storm and Jubilee followed    
the Professor to the infirmary. The woman looked a little the worse for    
wear and Hank had a very odd look on his face. He left the room to speak    
to them.   
   
   "Gambit has not done any permanent damage to her but she should rest.   
She has very recently given birth, within the last few days, and in my   
opinion should be taking it very easy."   
   
   "Very well," said the Professor. "Why don't you go in first Gambit."   
     
   Gambit gave the Professor a "look" and stepped through the door.   
   
   "My name be Remy LeBeau known as Gambit." He kissed her hand. "I hope    
you will be acceptin' my apologies for such an unpleasant welcome."    
   
   "That's quite all right Remy," she said with a smile. "You couldn't    
possibly have known I was about to appear. My name is Amethyst."   
   
   "A beautiful name for a beautiful lady."   
   
   Jubilee laughed and the Professor broke in, "I think that will do    
Gambit."   
   
   Gambit stepped back but didn't break his gaze away from Amethyst, nor    
she from him. Rogue frowned at him and edged a little closer to Bobby.    
Wolverine and Storm watched with interest, though Wolverine was unsure    
about this woman. Her smell was strange, almost compulsive. Bishop kept    
a hand on his gun.    
   
   The Professor spoke again, "Perhaps you could tell us why you are    
here."   
   
   "I think it might be easier if I showed you." She sat up and held    
out her hands. A bow made of purple crystal and a matching pair of arrows    
appeared in them. Bishop raised his gun. "Its all right these can't hurt    
anyone," she said. The Professor nodded to Bishop that she was telling the    
truth. She put the arrows to the bow and fired them, they split away from    
each other and vanished into Wolverine and Storm. Storm gasped raising her    
hands to her chest where the arrow had entered.    
   
   Wolverine stepped up to Storm, "Are you alright Ororo?"   
   
   "Yes Logan I am ... fine."   
   
   They were staring into each others eyes. Wolverine reached up to run    
his hands through her hair, she bent down to meet his lips with hers.   
   
   Bishop whirled to face Amethyst. "Stop it. Whatever you're doing stop    
it right now!"   
   
   "Indeed," said the Professor. "I think that is quite enough."   
   
   Nodding Amethyst raised her bow again and shot two more arrows, these    
ones clear as diamonds, into Storm and Wolverine. After a second the    
couple broke apart with a slightly puzzled look on their faces.    
   
   "Very impressive," said Storm. Jubilee wondered wether she was talking    
to Amethyst or Wolverine. She almost wished it had been her instead of    
Storm, almost. Once she'd had quite a crush on Wolverine but she knew    
better now.   
   
   "But what does your power have to do with us?" asked the Professor.   
   
   "My power appeared quite late, I've only had it for a few months. I    
heard from a ... friend that you train mutants in how to use their powers.    
Mine is pretty much out of control and it's more than you've just seen    
there. Some of you might have noticed that it's hard to stop looking at    
me, I can't seem to keep control of the part of my power that makes me    
attractive to other people, especially ... males." She blushed. "I had to    
leave my home in the Labyrinth cause I was causing so much disruption. I    
had hoped you could help me."   
   
   The Professor could feel her power affecting his decision, he must    
try not to let her affect him but at the same time not to over compensate    
and turn her away if she needed their help.    
   
   "Where is the Labyrinth?" asked Storm.   
   
   "It is an outpocketing of this reality, a part of it but apart. I have    
lived there since I was eighteen years old, in the castle beyond the    
Goblin City."   
   
   "Gambit will you please wait with Amethyst while I discuss things with    
the rest of the team."   
   
   "De pleasure would be all mine." Gambit sat down beside her as the   
others left the room.   
   
   The Professor turned to the remaining X-Men. "Would any of you be    
against Amethyst training with us for a short while?"   
   
   Wolverine spoke first, "She'd sure as hell make things a little more   
interestin' around here."   
   
   "Love is a powerful weapon, she should be allowed the training she    
needs to control it," added Storm.   
   
   "S'cool with me," put in Jubilee.   
   
   "Might I suggest her codename be Cupid." said Hank with a lopsided    
grin.   
   
   "What about you Rogue?" asked the Professor.   
   
   "Ah suppose," said Rogue.   
    
   "Bobby?"   
   
   "Fine by me."   
   
   "I have spoken with the others and they too agree. I shall therefore    
allow Amethyst to join us for the time being, but not as a member of the   
team, at least not yet."   
   
    The next morning Amethyst rose early having slept badly and went down   
to get breakfast and then to explore the grounds. She found Rogue already    
in the kitchen.   
   
   "Good morning Rogue."  There was no answer. "You don't like me very   
much. Is it because Remy does?"   
   
   "Ah don't care who Remy likes."   
   
   "Why do I doubt that? I would like to know what is going on between you    
two, if you want to tell me."   
   
   Rogue paused a moment then finally spoke, "Ah thought ah loved Remy,    
but ah could never touch him or anyone else. When ah got that fixed ah    
found that ah didn't want to touch him anymore. An' then there's Bobby."   
She paused. "Ah'm just so confused ah don't know which way to turn."   
   
   "You have to decide wether you're going to pursue your attraction to   
Bobby or not. He is very interested in you, I can tell, I think its part    
of my power. Are you going to give it a try? Yes or no?"   
   
   "What would you do?"   
   
   "I always follow my attractions, I would give Bobby a try."   
   
   "If ah don't ah'll always wonder what would've happened. Ah'm gonna   
give it a try. An' ah guess if you're interested in Remy then its okay    
with me."   
   
   "I never said I was interested in Gambit," said Amethyst becoming    
suddenly defensive. "I said I liked him, I wouldn't want him to get   
hurt pursuing a relationship that wasn't working."   
   
   "I'm sorry ah shouldn't have assumed."   
   
   "Umm, its okay. Forget it."   
   
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-   
Love's First Kiss has two other alternate endings unrelated to The Amethyst Saga, they are below if you want to read them, or you can skip to the next chapter.  
   
  **Love's First Kiss**  
 **Ending A: The Happy Ending**  
 **by Lady Amethyst**   
   
   In the hallway Bobby leant against the bannister wondering why he felt   
so loathe to leave them alone together. Sure Rogue was beautiful and   
intelligent and strong and... but she was in love with Gambit! Wasn't she?   
He sighed and giving the stair a half-hearted kick went upstairs to take a   
cold shower. Or maybe a bath. A long, slow, hot bath that he could hide in   
till dinner-time. Wandering round to the bathroom he found the door half   
open and steam pouring out, peering in he saw Jubilee poking a finger   
through the mounds of bubbles to test the heat. She must've bought out the   
body shop he though staring at the row of bottles she'd lined up on the   
shelf. She turned to him.   
   
   "Too late ice-pop, bathrooms mine for the next three hours at least."   
   
   Bobby pulled out muttering under his breath, "Hope she drowns in three   
feet of perfumed, fruit flavoured, rain-forest friendly, exfoliating creme   
bath gel gunk."   
      
   "I heard that Drake!" she yelled back. "There goes your Christmas card."   
   
   He wandered on to the second bathroom, the door was locked and inside he   
could hear giggling and splashing.   
   
   "I hope your wings are stainless steel Warren."   
   
   I didn't know Psylocke could giggle, he thought moving back downstairs   
in search of the third and last bathroom. He started to hear singing before   
he even reached the bottom stair and by the time he reached the bathroom   
door the sound of Hank's voice was overpowering. Great! he thought, just   
great.    
   
    Dinner had been good. Everyone had been in high spirits with the   
possible exception of Bobby who had been uncharacteristically silent. Even   
his responses to Jubilee's usual teasing had been half-hearted. They were   
now all in the rec room watching Aliens. Rogue was sitting on the sofa   
curled up with Remy but she felt her eyes straying to Bobby sitting across   
the room from her. The light flickering from the television turned his hair   
from blue to green to red and back again and highlighted his face. She   
found herself tracing his features with her eyes, how come she'd never   
noticed how good looking he was before. She supposed that she'd had enough   
to worry about with one person she wanted but couldn't touch, never mind   
two. But now she could touch anyone she wanted and she found herself   
wanting to throw herself into it.    
   
   "Eeeuuww!" exclaimed Jubilee. "Why are we watching this? They are just   
way too much like the Brood for their own good." She didn't stop watching   
though.   
   
   Gambit turned to smile at Rogue only to find her staring across the room   
at Iceman. Bobby chose that moment to look round at Rogue who turned away   
quickly so he wouldn't see her staring only to find herself face to face   
with Remy. He smiled a little unpleasantly.   
   
   "A little distacted Chere? Perhaps Gambit is not so interesting once you   
got him."   
   
   "Don' be silly Remy. Ah was just lookin' at him. It didn't mean   
anythin'."   
   
   "Course it didn't." he turned back to the film. Rogue leant her head   
against his shoulder and watched the film. But out of the corner of her eye   
she found herself conscious of every move Bobby made.   
   
    It was early morning and Rogue lay alone in her bed, this time not out   
of neccesity but out of choice. Remy had asked her to stay with him but   
she'd put him off, saying she was nervous, that she wasn't ready, that   
she'd only just been able to touch people and she wanted to get used to   
that before she went any further. He'd accepted that but had been   
disappointed. She was disappointed too, she'd expected everything to go   
like a fairy tale when she got back here but instead she was spoiling it   
all. She got out of bed and grabbed a robe then switched on the nullifier   
before heading down to the kitchen for brekfast. She really shouldn't use   
it so often, she'd cut it down in a few days. For now she wanted to relax a   
bit.   
    
   When she got to the kitchen Bobby was already there. He was wearing   
frayed jeans and no top and Rogue found herself blushing which made her   
feel silly which made her blush all the more. She ducked away and hid her   
head in the fridge on the pretense of searching for something. When she   
felt composed and turned back with a yoghurt in her hand she found Bobby   
standing right next to her with a most unusual look on his face.    
   
   "I get the feeling that its not quite plain sailing with you and   
Gambit."   
   
   "That's between me an' Remy."   
   
   "Why don't I believe you?"   
   
   "Ah wouldn't know." she turned to go but Bobby caught her arm and she   
turned back to him.   
   
   "A girl is allowed to change her mind Rogue," he said softly. "You are   
very beautiful." He stroked her cheek. She was staring into his eyes and   
couldn't seem to look away. He bent down to kiss her but as his lips   
brushed hers she pulled away.    
   
   "No Bobby. Ah don't want to change mah mind. Ah admit that ah find you    
attractive but ah love Remy and ah always will. Ah won't allow a crush to   
come between us. Not ever." She turned and walked out of the room.    
   
   As she climbed the stairs she found the longing she'd had for Remy for   
so long returning. Forge had been right, the nullifier affected her in ways   
much deeper than just physically. Being free to touch made her look at   
people differently. But she'd always love Remy. Reaching his room she   
walked in, he was still in bed but was awake. He smiled at her.    
   
   "I hope you're not here t' tell Gambit to get up."   
   
   "Actually ah was hopin' ah could join you," she said dropping her robe   
to the floor and climbing onto the bed.   
   
   "But of cousre Chere." he paused. "Gambit never ask you this before    
Chere, but what your real name be?"   
   
   "You really want to know?"   
   
   "Definitely."   
   
   "Okay but ya got ta promise not to laugh."   
   
   "Gambit promises."   
   
   "It's Daisy-Mae Roganne."   
   
   "Daisy!"   
   
   "You promised."   
   
   "An I won't. But if chere don' mind I'll stick with Rogue for now."   
   
   "Please do."   
   
The End    
All characters are copyright to Marvel Comics.   
   
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------   
**Love's First Kiss**  
 **Ending C: The Surprise Ending**  
 **by Lady Amethyst**   
   
   In the hallway Bobby leant against the bannister wondering why he felt   
so loathe to leave them alone together. Was it Rogue? Maybe he just felt   
left out, everyone was pairing up and he was still alone. He sighed and   
gave the stair a half-hearted kick as he went upstairs to take a shower. Or   
maybe a bath. A long, slow, hot bath that he could hide in till   
dinner-time. Wandering round to the bathroom he found the door half open   
and steam pouring out, peering in he saw Jubilee poking a finger through   
the mounds of bubbles to test the heat. She must've bought out the body   
shop he though staring at the row of bottles she'd lined up on the shelf.   
She turned to him.   
   
   "Too late ice-pop, bathrooms mine for the next three hours at least."   
   
   Bobby pulled out muttering under his breath, "Hope she drowns in two   
feet of perfumed, fruit flavoured, rain-forest friendly, exfoliating creme   
bath gel."   
      
   "I heard that Drake!" she yelled back. "There goes your Christmas card."   
   
   He wandered on to the second bathroom, the door was locked and inside he   
could hear giggling and splashing.   
   
   "I hope your wings are stainless steel Warren."   
   
   I didn't know Psylocke could giggle, he thought moving back downstairs   
in search of the third and last bathroom. He started to hear singing before   
he even reached the bottom stair and by the time he reached the bathroom   
door the sound of Hank's voice was overpowering. Great! he thought, just   
great.    
    
   Dinner had been good. Everyone had been in high spirits with the   
possible exception of Bobby who had been uncharacteristically silent. Even   
his responses to Jubilee's usual teasing had been half-hearted. And Gambit   
too had been reserved. Rogue on the other hand had been the life of the   
party.   
   
   After dinner the girls took Rogue out for the night. It had been Emma   
Frost's idea but Rogue had jumped at it. So Jean, Betsy and Ororo had gone   
too, to keep an eye on things. The guys all stayed in and were watching    
Aliens in the rec room. Jubilee was in the huff at not being allowed to go   
with the rest of the girls but had consented to come downstairs and watch   
TV with them. She was sitting on the sofa hiding behind Wolverine who   
looked on the verge of giving her something to be really scared about.   
   
   "Eeeuuuw! These guys are just too like the Brood for me."   
   
   "Shut up kid, some of us are tryin' to watch this."   
   
   "Well excuse me grumpy."   
   
   "Shut up the both of you," said Scott light-heartedly tossing a cushion   
at them and missing.   
   
   "I thought fearless leaders were supposed to have better aim than that,"   
said Hank.   
   
   "Well it's pretty hard to see through red glasses in a pitch dark room."   
   
   "You shut up too," said Bobby chucking his cushion at Scott who caught   
it and threw it back, missing Bobby and hitting Gambit who was sitting on   
the floor against Bobby's chair.   
   
   "Hey watch it!" Gambit threw the cushion back at Scott. Jubilee had    
decided this was more amusing than the movie and had fished the cushion   
that started it from behind the sofa. She threw it hard at Gambit and it   
hit him in the face. Gambit picked it back up and charged it very slightly   
before throwing it back. It was just enough to knock the sofa, as well as   
Jubilee and Wolverine, right over.    
   
   "Right, this is war!" cried Jubilee blowing Gambit, Bobby and the chair   
over into the corner with her fireworks. They pushed the chair back up to   
use for cover and Bobby created some snowballs to throw. Ducking the   
fireworks and pillows their aim was less than perfect and before long   
Warren was throwing cushions too and Scott was shooting out mild optic   
blasts, just enough to knock a person over. Bishop was looking rather   
confused as he dodged and Hank seemed to have disapeared. But then he burst   
through the rec room door with a water pistol, well more like a water rifle   
and dowsed the room liberally until he ran out of water. Of course Bobby   
could have frozen it so it couldn't be fired but that wasn't the point. He   
turned and ran as the water gave out and the rest of them followed. Logan,   
Bishop and Archangel headed for the kitchen for water while Gambit, Bobby,   
Jubilee and Cyclops followed Hank pelting him (and the rest of the mansion)   
with snowballs, fireworks and optic blasts. Hank headed upstairs and as he   
passed the bathroom he turned the tables.    
   
   Opening the door and turning around he yelled, "Grab Jubilee, I'll turn   
on the taps."   
   
   Jubilee turned to run but it was too late. Gambit grabbed her round the    
waist and lifted her off the ground. Screaming she threw out fireworks but   
he wasn't letting go. Bobby grabbed her feet and they man-handled her into    
the bathroom and dumped her in the two inches of water in the bath, Hank   
turned on the shower and she leapt out the bath. Just then Warren, Bishop   
and Logan appeared in the hall with two buckets of water each with which   
they dowsed the occupants of the bathroom. Bobby turned the contents of the   
bath into slushy snow and they all scooped up handfuls to throw at the   
retreating backs. The three made good their escape and the rest turned to   
each other laughing.   
   
   "Truce," gasped Scott. "I don't think we can get any wetter anyway."   
   
   All the towels in that bathroom were drenched so they all wandered off    
in search of dry ones and then a change of clothes.    
    
   Meanwhile the girls had hit a local club. Emma Frost was in a killer   
white outfit, but that was nothing out of the ordinary. Jean and Betsy had   
dressed down in jeans and crop tops, being firmly attached they didn't feel   
the need to advertise their bodies. Ororo wore black leggings and a purple   
blouse tied between her breasts. She too was not looking for male company,   
she disliked "picking people up" in bars and clubs. Rogue on the other hand   
was throwing herself into things with wild abandon. Carrying the generator   
in her handbag she was wearing a tight green dress that only just covered   
her and no more. She had already downed more than she'd ever drunk before   
and was at the moment slow dancing with someone called Steve. Ororo was   
looking rather worried.   
   
   "Don't you think we should take her home before she does something   
she'll regret?"   
   
   "I think she wants to do something she'll regret," answered Betsy.   
   
   "The question is should we let her?" countered Jean.   
   
   Light My Fire by the Doors came blasting through the speakers.   
   
   "Why don't we hit the dance floor for a while and see what state she's   
in after that?" suggested Emma.   
   
   The girls headed for the floor, Emma picked up a handsome blond man on   
her way but the others formed a loose group by themselves. Across the floor   
Rogue was dancing wildly in a circle of young men. She sent one of them off   
to get her a drink and he returned with a long vodka which she downed like   
orange juice, thirsty from dancing. Ororo gave Jean and Betsy a look.   
   
   "You two stay here, I've got the tickets so I'll go join the cloakroom   
line."   
   
    Gambit was digging bare chested through an untidy drawer for a clean    
t-shirt when he heard a knock at the door.   
   
   "Come in."   
   
   It was Bobby, still sodden. "You got a spare towel Remy? The ravening   
hordes have nabbed all the clean ones."   
   
   "Sure, come in. Gambit got one someplace." He disappeared into the   
closet.   
   
   Bobby waited, trying not to drip on anything. A moment later Gambit   
emerged victorious from the closet with a towel. He threw it to Bobby and   
sat on the bed.    
   
   "Is nice to see Warren and Bishop loosen up a bit, non?"   
   
   "Yeah. Betsy's been good for Warren."   
   
   "Is nice when tings work out for a couple."   
   
   "Things aren't going so well with you and Rogue?"   
   
   "Bobby you remember what Gambit tell you before. Gambit was right, tings   
just aren't de same no more. I tink Rogue feel it to. Why else she be   
running off tonight? She be needin' to play de field. She never had de   
chance before."   
   
    "Perhaps you're right." Bobby finished towelling his hair and dried off   
his chest and back. "What will you do? I mean will you wait for her?"   
   
   "I don' tink dere be anyting to be waiting for. Rogue and I were a game.   
Gambit got someone to chase an' Rogue got someone to lean on she didn't   
tink she could hurt, de 'Cajun tomcat'."   
   
   "And did you get hurt?"   
   
   "I was playin' de game too, I'm sure we both be a bit hurt but is   
nothin' serious. We'll live."   
   
   They heard the front door open and the girls voices as they arrived   
home. Rogue's was the loudest.   
   
   "Ah'm fine. Don' you go worryin' bout me." There was a loud clattering   
on the stairs, "Oops."   
   
   Remy and Bobby exchanged glances.   
   
   "Sounds like Rogue had a good time doesn't it?" said Bobby.   
   
   They heard noises in the hall as she made it to the top of the stairs,   
then the door flew open. Rogue fell through and sprawled onto the floor.   
   
   "Remy! Bobby! I'm a little drunk. I met ... Steve and ... and someone   
else and there was ... um ... Andrew and ... oh lots of people. And I   
danced..." she stood up and twirled around unsteadily, "like this!" She   
fell into Bobby's arms heavily knocking him back into Gambit and all onto   
he bed. "Oooh this is fun isn't it?"   
   
   "Ungh." Bobby and Gambit struggled up. "If you like being squashed by a    
ten stone vodka bottle," said Bobby.   
   
   "Aaw come on boys, lets have some fun!"   
   
   "I don' tink so Rogue. I tink you be best sleepin dis one off."   
   
   "Y'all're such spoilsports. Ah bet Wolvie'd be interested." She started   
for the door. Bobby gave Gambit a horrified look and they sprang off the   
bed after her.    
   
   "Gambit really don' tink dat be such a good idea Rogue," he said   
steering her out the door towards her own room.   
   
   "Ya know mah names not really Rogue. Mah name is ... is ... what is it   
again? Oh yeah! Daisy-Mae." She began to sing, "Daisy, Daisy give me your    
answer do. Daisy, Daisy ..." The boys dumped her on her bed where she    
continued her singing, somewhat muffled, into the pillow, "Ah'm so in love   
with you."   
   
   They closed her door and looked at each other, seeing Bobby's smirk   
Gambit motioned to his room and they ran through and closed the door before   
they broke into hysterics.   
   
   "Daisy-Mae!" Bobby howled falling onto the bed.    
   
   Gambit sat down next to him doubled over with laughter, "Chere ain't    
never gon' live dis down. You tink Logan heard her?"   
   
   "He was probably hiding under his bed!"   
   
   Gambit laughed harder and fell back onto the bed clutching his side. As   
the laughter subsided they heard a door open. A plaintive voice drifted   
through the mansion.   
   
   "'Roro? Betsy? Ah think ah'm gonna be sick."   
   
   They heard another door open and Betsy's voice, "Its okay Rogue come on   
to the bathroom."   
   
   Bobby rolled over on his side, "Poor Rogue, she's really going to feel   
it tomorrow morning." Gambit didn't reply, he just stared at Bobby. "What   
is it Remy?"   
   
   Gambit sat up, "I don' know Bobby. Is just ... I don' know." he turned   
away.   
   
   "Well maybe I do." Bobby sat up and reached out tentatively to touch   
Gambits cheek. When he didn't turn away he leaned closer, when he paused   
Gambit finished the move by bringing his head in to meet Bobby's lips. When   
they broke away they were silent a moment.   
   
   "I guess dere had to be a reason why Gambit spend so much time chasin'   
the only woman he couldn't touch."   
   
   "Once before," said Bobby. "There was a friend of mine that I was ...   
obsessed with but I told myself it wasn't true. I started chasing girls,   
but somehow it never seemed to work out. I never really wanted it to."   
   
   They sat in silence a while. Eventually Gambit spoke again.   
   
   "Will you be stayin' here tonight?"   
   
   "Only if you're sure."   
   
   "Stay."   
   
   
The End   
All characters are copyright to Marvel Comics.   
   
   
(c) copyright Marysia, 1995


	3. Comfort Me With Apples

\-------------------------------------------------------------   
All characters (except Amethyst and Jareth) copyright    
to Marvel Comics. Jareth is copyright to Henson Productions.    
Amethyst and this story are copyright to me.   
\-------------------------------------------------------------   
   
This should be considered an alternate though similar Universe with    
Amethyst appearing shortly after Jean and Scott marry. This will   
cover my dubious continuity knowledge, I'm not surprised the writers   
make so many mistakes cause it confuses the hell out of me. So none   
of this Age of Apocalypse stuff exists and Jubilee ain't going anywhere.    
   
   
 **The Amethyst Saga Part 4**  
 **Comfort Me With Apples, For I am Sick of Love**  
 **by Lady Amethyst (June 1995)**   
   
   Amethyst sat in her room, where she'd been sitting for the past two   
and a half hours since speaking to Rogue in the kitchen. She wasn't ...   
oh all right, she was hiding from the other people in the house. Rogue   
had assumed she was interested in Gambit and quite frankly she couldn't   
blame her after the way she'd acted last night. Like a smitten teenage   
girl! And she didn't have the faintest idea why. I mean sure Gambit was   
attractive but so was everyone else on the team, it seemed to be a pre-   
requisite or something. Why should he make her act so strangely, thinking    
back on him he didn't seem like anything special? But when she had been    
in the same room with him it was like she couldn't take her eyes off him    
and now she was scared to see him again. But she had to go now, she had    
an appointment to have lunch with the Professor to discuss her problem    
and before that she was to go to the infirmary for a proper medical. Dr    
McCoy had only given her a quick once over last night, but even that had    
been long enough for him to start acting strange. The X-Men may be rather    
more resistant to her charms than her subjects in the Labyrinth but they    
were by no means immune, not even the blue furry ones. In fact she was    
late already. There was a knock at the door.   
   
   "Yes?"   
   
   Gambit entered the room, "You okay? Henri is waiting for you chere."   
   
   "Yes I ... I'm fine." He was so handsome. That wicked smile and soft   
brown hair hanging over his face. "I was just about to go down." But   
she didn't move and neither did he, they just stared at one another.   
   
   Gambit let the door swing shut behind him. "You sure lookin' nice   
Chere, I tink Henri can wait a bit longer." He stepped towards her.   
   
   A voice hollered up the stairs, it was Jubilee, "Hey Gumbo! Get a move    
on, you're supposed to be helping me make lunch." They could hear her   
coming up the stairs.   
   
   "Till later Chere." Gambit left.   
   
   Amethyst stood staring at the half open door for a minute, "Shit!   
What the hell is going on here?" She took a deep breath and headed   
downstairs to the infirmary. When she got there she was relieved to see   
Jean Grey as well as Dr McCoy, She wasn't comfortable being alone with   
anyone, especially not someone so much stronger than herself. Henry    
McCoy seemed nice enough but that never made a difference once her powers   
took control of someone.   
   
   "There's a gown behind the screen if you'll get changed," he said.   
Amethyst went behind the screen and put on the gown. "I'll just check   
that everything is going back to normal. Was it a boy or a girl?"   
   
   "A boy. Seven and a half pounds."   
   
   "What did you call him," asked Jean.   
   
   "Westerly. It was my father-in-laws name." She came out and sat up    
on the bed.   
   
   "I'm afraid we don't have any stirrups," he said apologetically. "If   
you'll scoot your bottom along to the edge of the bed and rest your feet   
on my shoulders I'll be as quick as I can."   
   
   Amethyst nodded and lay back.   
   
   "How long have you been married?" asked Jean.   
   
   "Nine years last June, how about you?"   
   
   "Not long, a month. Our relationship had a few ... hitches along the    
way."   
   
   "I've lost count of the number of times she's died," put in Dr McCoy   
as he raised his head and let her legs down. "Everything seems to be   
fine down there, bouncing back nicely. I assume it's your first child   
from how quickly you're recovering."   
   
   "Yes he was my first. My brother-in-law thought it might have been   
the hormones from the pregnancy that triggered my powers."   
   
   "I suppose it's possible." He peeled off his gloves. "Though I've    
never heard of it happen before." He brought out a syringe, "I'm just   
going to take a blood sample for the records."   
    
   Amethyst pulled away from him, "No." As she did so Jean grimaced and    
put a hand to her head.    
   
   Hank too reacted, he dropped the syringe to the floor. "It's okay, I    
won't do anything you don't want me to. I could never do anything you   
don't want me to do." He reached out to her. "I love you."   
   
   "No! Get away from me." Amethyst scrambled off the bed and put it    
between them.   
   
   Meanwhile Jean struggled to get back into Hank's mind. He had asked   
her to keep his mind safe while he was doing the check up and it had    
been fine until Amethyst had seen the syringe. Then with one burst she   
had overwhelmed Jean's barrier and reached into Hank's mind locking Jean    
out and the more afraid she became the stronger her hold was. She stepped   
between them. "Stop it Hank!" He didn't even seem to notice her, he    
pushed her aside but Amethyst had fled. She could feel his mind relaxing   
again as the compulsion faded.   
   
   "Oh my!"   
   
   "I had better go talk to the Professor," said Jean.   
    
   Jean entered the study where the Professor was sitting.   
   
   "I know what happened," he said. "I was monitoring Henry to see what   
her effect would be on him. Do you have any recommendations?"   
   
   "I don't like to say this but I don't think it's wise for you to work   
with her. She is too powerful. In fact I think she should be kept away   
from all the males in the mansion while she is here. I would suggest that    
she move into the boat-house with me and Scott can stay in the mansion    
for a while. I'll see what I can do for her."   
   
   "I suppose it is best. I had not realised quite how powerful she was    
until she managed to overcome you so easily. I think you should arrange   
it immediately. We don't want any more ... incidents."   
   
   Jean nodded and left to find Amethyst. She wasn't in her room so she    
scanned the mansion mentally, no sign, she must have gone outside.   
   
   
   Amethyst ran outside and straight into Gambit. He was standing by his    
motorbike dressed to go.   
   
   "Hey Chere, where you goin' in such a hurry? An' what's wit da clothes?"   
   
   Amethyst looked down at herself and realised she was still wearing the   
examination gown. She blushed and quickly formed a crystal ball, it grew   
around her and when it popped she was dressed in jeans and a shirt. "Lets   
just get out of here," she said.   
   
   "Sure thing." He handed her a helmet and they roared away from the    
mansion. She didn't even think twice about the fact that she had just   
stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire. Where Gambit was   
concerned she had problems thinking straight, especially when she was   
sitting pressed against his back with her arms around his waist. His   
very presence made her head spin, she could hardly remember why she was   
even there.   
   
    Jean searched the grounds mentally but could find no trace of Amethyst.   
Worried she returned to the mansion, Professor Xavier had asked everyone   
if they had seen her, everyone but Gambit who was also gone. Rogue spoke   
up.   
   
   "Ah don't know if this means anythin', but she was actin real wierd   
round Gambit last night. Ah thought she was interested in him, but when   
ah asked her this mornin' she denied it."   
   
   "She could have simply returned to the Labyrinth," suggested Betsy.   
   
   "I don't think so," replied the Professor. "Our monitoring systems   
would have detected the rift. But going off with Gambit seems rather   
unusual. As far as I could tell she is very loyal to her husband and    
rather leary of going near any other man due to her powers. Of course   
there is a chance that she did not go ... willingly. I do not like to   
say this but it is possible that her powers have incited Gambit to abduct   
her. I am going to track them with Cerebro and I want an all female team    
ready to go. Jean will be in charge accompanied by Storm and Rogue."   
   
   The three girls went to change while the Professor hooked up to   
Cerebro. He had located them before long heading north. He linked to   
them, *I have located them, Amethyst does not appear to be there under    
duress. In fact she seems to be the instigator of the journey. I am    
worried though, her mind seems confused. A little like Storm and    
Wolverine's minds appeared last night and Henry's during the ... incident   
this morning.*   
   
   Suddenly Storm had a thought, *Professor you must remember, Gambit's   
powers are not just the charging of inanimate objects. There is his   
"charm". What if that is somehow interacting, even being strengthened, by   
Amethysts' powers?*   
   
   *I had not thought of that, it is certainly possible. In which case   
neither of them are responsible for their actions and we must certainly    
catch up with them as soon as possible. When you reach them you must    
separate them, once they are far enough away from each other the effect   
should fade. If that is what it is.* Storm and Rogue took off, Rogue    
carrying Jean.   
   
    Meanwhile Amethyst and Gambit had pulled up on a small country road.   
The sun was blazing and they sat down on the grass together. There was   
no need for words, even if they could have managed a coherent sentence,   
as they kissed for the first time. It was love, make no mistake about    
that. It wan't lust, not even desire, just the strongest need to be near   
the other person, to hold them in your arms forever. So strong that every   
thing else was washed away, anything that interfered with the feeling was   
repressed, The Labyrinth was less than a distant memory. Everthing became   
the here and now as they lay on the grass listening to each others heart   
beats in the warm, sunlight. Which was suddenly cut off as hands grabbed   
them, pulling them apart from each other. They reacted immediately, a   
neatly thrown card knocked Rogue away from Amethyst and she fell back to   
the ground catching herself before she fell. Hovering in the air she shot   
an arrow at Storm who was holding Gambit, it struck her in the arm. For   
a moment it seemed to have no effect but then she seemed to lose interest   
in Gambit and let him drop. Amethyst flew to catch him as Storm headed   
towards Rogue with a look of wonder on her face. Rogue dodged aside,   
   
   "Storm don't. You can't touch me ah'll absorb your powers."   
   
   Amethyst and Gambit made good their escape as Jean tried to catch hold    
of Storm's mind before she caught Rogue. But it was too late, Rogue cried   
out and Storm fell to the ground her powers drained.   
    
   Back at the mansion the Professor gathered the rest of the team    
together.   
   
   "It is clear now that Amethyst can disrupt a small team too easily.   
I suspect that the more of us there are the less her power will affect    
each individual. We will take the Blackbird and pick up the others   
before continuing on after them. I would suggest that the men keep a   
good distance between themselves and Amethyst if there is a confrontation.    
But we will try to reason with them first. Lets go."   
       
   Amethyst and Gambit were still heading away on the bike when they   
caught up with them. Scott brought the Blackbird down in front of them   
forcing them to stop. The Professor called out to them mentally before   
they could run, *Wait! We only want to talk to you. We won't come near.*   
   
   They waited nervously as the Blackbird landed on the road. "Why did    
you attack us?" asked Amethyst when the Professor and Jean had appeared.   
   
   "I'm sorry," answered Jean. "We shouldn't have done that but we were   
just trying to help you."   
   
   "We don't need your help," said Gambit. "We be leavin', it's not safe   
for Amethyst here. Beast try to attack her, best to be away from other   
people."   
   
   "Is that what you think Amethyst?" asked Jean.   
   
   "Yes, we just want to go. Let us go."   
   
   "What about your husband?"   
   
   "Husband?"   
   
   "Don't you remember your husband Jareth, your son, the Labyrinth?"   
   
   "Labyrinth? Labyrinth." She broke off a moment then spoke so softly   
they could hardly hear her, "Through ... dangers untold and hardships...   
un-numbered. I have ... fought my way here to the ... Castle... beyond the   
Goblin City." She looked up. "Jareth?"   
   
   Gambit wrapped his hands around her protectively, "Don't listen to her   
Chere. She be tryin' to confuse you."   
   
   "I ... feel kind of dizzy." Amethyst crumpled in Gambit's arms.   
   
   "What did you do to her!" Gambit started to back away but then a look   
of confusion crossed his face. He stopped looking down at Amethyst,   
unconscious in his arms. "What's de hell am I doin'?"   
   
   "I think you should put her down and move away before she wakes up and   
her powers start working again," said Jean moving slowly towards him.   
   
   Gambit looked at her uncertainly then carefully laid Amethyst down on   
the grass and backed away from her. "I'm sorry. I don't know what we    
thought we were doing."   
   
   "It's okay Remy." Jean knelt down by Amethyst and lifted her up.   
   
   "She be okay?"   
   
   "She'll be fine, she's just fainted. Are you okay?"   
   
   "Yeah, I guess." He brought his motorbike over and wheeled it into the   
Blackbird and then disapeared down into the tiny engine room.    
   
   Jean laid Amethyst down on the single medical bunk and gave her a    
sedative to make sure she didn't wake up too soon. "I'm worried about   
Gambit, he doesn't seem to be shaking off the effects as quickly as I   
thought he would."   
   
   "Gambit'll be alright," put in Rogue. "It's her we gotta worry 'bout.   
Ah think we ought to take her straight to Forge. He fixed mah powers, he   
can do the same for hers. She's too dangerous to have wanderin' 'bout   
while you try all the self-hypnotism crap you tried on me."   
   
   "Rogue is right," said the Professor. "Amethyst is not one of us, she   
has no need for her powers and as far as I can tell she would rather not    
have them at all. We shall take her straight to Washington, once we've   
dropped some of you off at the mansion. Who will be joining us?"   
   
   "Scott and I will come," said Jean. "It's about time we visited Alex."   
   
   "I will also accompany you," said Beast. "To help Forge with the   
calibrations for the nullifier."   
   
   Rogue too decided to go so they could check over her nullifier at the    
same time and Gambit also. They dropped Gambit's motorbike and the rest   
of the team at the mansion and headed for Washington. They had called    
ahead and Forge was expecting them. Gambit had stayed down below the   
entire trip, even Rogue was getting worried now. Subdued was not really   
his style. He came up when they landed and carried the still sedated   
Amethyst into the building. Jean and the Professor exchanged meaningful    
glances leaving Rogue even more worried. Forge met them inside and showed   
them through to the lab. Jean explained the situation and when she'd    
finished they waited for his verdict.   
   
   "I would be more than happy to help but I must know if it is what she   
wants first. You will have to wake her up."   
   
   Jean nodded, "Scott, will you Beast and Gambit please leave."   
   
   Gambit started to protest but then stopped at Jean's look and left.   
Forge handed her a stimulant and then stood back as she woke her up.   
Amethyst sat up groggily, "Where am I? Jareth?"   
   
   "You're still on Earth, Amethyst. This is the headquarters of X-Factor.   
A friend of ours, Forge, may be able to block your mutant powers for you.   
Will you agree to let him try?"   
   
   "Yes! Please, I just want them to go away." She turned to Forge, "Can   
you really do it?"   
   
   "I ... I mean..." Forge stammered.   
   
   "I'm trying to keep your mind clear Forge but I can't hold it much   
longer, will you let me sedate her again now?" asked Jean.   
   
   "Yes."   
   
   Jean gave Amethyst another sedative and she slumped back on the bed.   
    
   When she awoke again it was night-time. She was still in the lab and   
Cyclops was sitting next to her. She felt rather sick but it began to   
fade as he helped her sit up. Someone was speaking, she concentrated on   
the voice, trying to understand it, "...should be blocking all your    
powers now, how do you feel?"   
   
   "Okay, I guess. A bit dizzy." She looked around the room. Scott, Beast,   
Gambit, Forge and the Professor were all there. None of them seemed to be   
reacting to her powers. She looked back at Gambit, it was gone, nothing   
but a faint tug. For some reason she started to cry, it hadn't been real   
but it had felt real at the time. She remembered it as real, she    
remembered the ecstasy of just being near him. It had been like the touch   
of God; washing away all sadness, all fear. Out of the corner of her eye   
she saw him leave the room, he understood, he felt it too. She wiped her    
eyes and looked up again, "It works."   
   
   "Yes," said Forge. "Though it doesn't seem to affect anything external.   
Your eyes are still purple and the little wings haven't gone, although it    
is possible these things may go eventually." He reached out and lifted   
the silver heart shaped pendant about her neck so that she could see it.   
"It was designed as a temporary nullifier, wearing off when you remove it,   
but theoretically if you wear it long enough it should remove your powers    
permanently. A couple of years should do it."   
   
   "Will it affect my other powers, the ones my husband gave me?" she    
asked.   
   
   He looked surprised, "I wasn't aware of any other powers, I really    
don't know. Why don't you try and see."   
   
   She crossed her hands and sure enough a crystal ball appeared in them,   
they still worked. Of course she could have contacted Jareth without them,   
just using the words 'I wish the Goblins would come and take me away right   
now' would alert someone. But this was easier. She had only been on Earth   
a little over 24 hours and already it was time to go home, it seemed   
strange, she had prepared herself to spend months here. But before she   
left she had to talk to Remy. "Thank you Forge, it is a great relief to   
be rid of these powers. But now they are gone I have to return to the    
Labyrinth, I have a son I thought I wouldn't see for several months."   
   
   "Of course," said the Professor. "We wish you luck."   
   
   "Thank you again, I think I should go speak with Gambit first though.   
Goodbye." Forge handed her the power source for the nullifier and she left    
the room to find Gambit. He was outside next to the Blackbird smoking.   
She came up behind him, "Remy?" He dropped his cigarette in surprise but    
didn't turn around. "I'm sorry about what happened Remy. I understand   
how you feel, no-one can let go of a feeling like that easily. But it'll   
be alright, now the powers gone the love's gone too, it's just a memory."   
   
   "For you maybe Chere. Perhaps de Cajun jus' don't forget so easy."   
   
   "What do you mean?"   
   
   "What do I mean!" He spun around catching hold of her arms. "What   
Gambit means," he said more gently. "Is dat maybe your powers didn't have   
so much to do wit what happened as we thought. What Gambit means is dat   
he still love you Chere." He stared into her surprised eyes a moment   
before leaning down to kiss her. She leapt away.   
   
   "Don't! You can't. I'm married, I have to go home."   
   
   "Gambit knows." He turned and walked away into the night. As she    
watched him leave tears filled her eyes, but she let him go, opened the    
portal home and stepped through.   
   
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
   
 **The Amethyst Saga Part 5**  
 **You Slip Into The Fog**  
 **by Lady Amethyst  July 1995**   
   
   It was two days since they had returned from Washington, without    
Gambit. Jean had tracked him down before they left but he had said he    
would make his own way back. No-one else had seen him since the night   
Amethyst had woken up and then left them.    
   
   Rogue had tried to be worried, but she knew Gambit could look after   
himself and she had more interesting things on her mind these days. Top   
of that list was Robert Drake. She couldn't believe the difference that   
Forge's little device had made to her life, it had opened her eyes to how    
much she had been closing out just to protect herself. She had never    
allowed herself to notice just how attractive Bobby was while she was    
busy worrying about how to avoid Gambits' constant advances and his    
persistance had made her feel more secure about herself. Made her feel    
wanted. It had also made her think she felt something for him too. But    
she had been wrong, Gambit was no more than a friend and perhaps even    
less after all he had put her through. He had been a part of the team but    
at the same time he had teased her and manipulated her feelings. She was    
sure he had never meant to hurt her but she still couldn't forgive him    
for it all so quickly. But she would still like to be sure he was alright.   
   
   "Rogue? You ready to go?"   
   
   She turned around to face Bobby, handsome in his tuxedo. "Yes I'm    
ready," she said. They had gone out every night while in DC. To night   
clubs and movies and restaurants. Getting to know each other, liking what   
they found. It had been everything she had hoped for and tonight, she had    
decided, would be the night. She was admittedly rather terrified but she    
wanted this. She took Bobby's arm and they went to the door. It opened to    
reveal a shadowy figure, Gambit.   
   
   "Rogue, Bobby," he nodded curtly at them and pushed past into the    
mansion. They looked after him.   
   
   "We don't have to go out tonight, if you don't want to," said Bobby.   
   
   "No. No it's alright, let's go."   
   
   They headed out for the night she had always thought would be spent   
with Remy LeBeau. Well, a lady is allowed to change her mind.   
    
   Gambit went straight up to his room leaving the rest of the team unsure   
of what was happening. The Professor joined them in the rec room as they   
waited for him to reappear under the pretence of playing Monopoly. Sure   
enough he appeared in the doorway half an hour lately, with a large sports   
bag and a rucksack over his shoulder. The Professor came forward.   
   
   "Gambit?"   
   
   "I'm leavin'," he told them curtly.   
   
   Storm joined the Professor. "Surely that is not necessary Remy. We are   
your friends, whatever is bothering you we can help with. Don't run away   
from us."   
   
   "I'm sorry Stormy," he said with a faint smile. "De Cajun know when   
it be time to leave. Mebbe he come back dis way again one day. Give Rogue   
dis for me." He handed Storm a letter and left without a backward glance.    
As they heard his motorbike roar to life Jubilee ran to the door in time    
to watch him disappear down the drive. He was gone.   
   
   
 Rogue,   
   
       I felt I ought to say something to you before I left but you were   
 busy. Maybe better that way, now I can at least think through what I'm   
 going to say. I'm not angry about you and Bobby, I hope things go well   
 for the both of you. I know that I did a lot of things that hurt you   
 and I'm truly sorry for every one of them but you must understand that    
 it was never on purpose. I would never do anything to hurt you on    
 purpose. I don't know if what we had was love, but whatever it was I    
 don't think we were ever any good for each other. We just never realised   
 that till we were free to really be together.   
   
        A lot of things have changed for me since you got your powers    
 fixed and since Amethyst came and went. I never was good with love. I    
 could cope just fine with the physical stuff but not the real thing. But   
 I think I love Amethyst, or maybe I just love the way she made me feel   
 when we were both under her power. I never felt that way before in my   
 life.    
   
        I have to get away for a while, maybe for good. I don't know yet.   
 To think about what I want now. I hope you're always happy.   
      
                                              Remy   
   
   
   When Rogue finished the letter she found tears in her eyes. It looked   
like it was the start of a whole new life for both her and Remy. But at   
least she was here with her friends and Bobby to help her get used to   
it. Gambit had to cope with it on his own. She hoped he could find his   
happiness as well.   
   
          ------------------------------------------------   
      All character copyright to Marvel Comics except Amethyst   
            Amethyst and this story are copyright to me.   
          ------------------------------------------------   
             
(c) copyright Marysia, 1995


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